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Fall weather is rolling in to NYC. I’m not gonna lie, I am a bit nervous about these cool temperatures greeting us so early! At this time of year in Atlanta, shorts and tank tops totally suffice. Here, scarves and cute fall jackets have started gracing us with their presences. I’m not complaining! Fall is my favorite time of year…I love the cool air and amazing evening walks by the water (its Winter that I am a bit worried about)!! But, in honor of Fall, I decided to end by apparent recipe blogging hiatus with a wonderful Fall chili!

From the basement of my grandpa’s house to renovating, listing and very quickly selling our first home- to moving in with my parents, visiting my grandparents, moving in with Gavin’s parents and finally making a BIG move to NYC- the past few months have been quite busy!

I know the decision to move to New York might seem a little surprising- crazy even, considering the fact that Gavin and I purchased the perfect little fixer upper in our favorite Atlanta neighborhood just a few short months ago. So much of Gavin and my Dad’s blood and sweat and many of my tears went into transforming the very damaged, poorly taken car of little house into our perfect home. But- let me back up a bit and explain why we knew that this house was not a permanent place for us to settle…

Before

After

Gavin and I have been spending a good bit of time in New York city for the past 5 years. It holds so may wonderful memories for us- but apart from that, the city has been grabbing hold of our hearts with a tighter and tighter grip each time that we visit. We have met so many vibrant, passionate people and we have fallen in love with a church called Trinity Grace…which ultimately lead to our decision to make the big move.

As you know, we have spent the last 4 years as dual citizens…we had a home in Atlanta and we had a home in Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa. Our hearts were fully rooted in each- and each time that we boarded the airplane to cross the ocean- our hearts would break more and more. We never felt completely full…there was always a gaping hole left that begged to be filled by real, long term community…our hearts longed for roots.

After months (years) of prayer we made the incredibly hard decision to step away from our dual citizenship and therefore our leadership roles at LUO and we hired an amazing girl, Fawn, to take over our day to day operations so that Gavin and I could try our hand at rooting in a community…and we knew without a doubt that we were being called to plant our feet firmly in New York City.

No, we were not sure of how we would make income…we weren’t sure of much- except for the fact that New York was our new home and being involved at Trinity Grace’s church plant in TriBeCa was exactly where we should be. When we made the decision to move to TriBeCa, we had never actually been to that part of town…but we felt so firmly called there that we made appointments to go house hunting and hoped that we liked the area! The moment that we crossed the craziness of Canal Street, we fell in love! We describe TriBeCa as a giant exhale. A place of calm in the midst of this crazy city. Yes, there are still a TON of people, lots of honking, lots of noise…but there is also the Hudson River and the gorgeous parks and piers that come along with it. We hunted and hunted…and hunted and hunted…and I cried with frustration…and just when we were about to give up on finding a place that would truly feel like home- we found it! A tiny little one bedroom on a beautiful street, right on the water. Our exhale. Our place of calm.
Now, we are one month in to the craziest journey of our lives. I would be lying if I said that it has all been roses and lilies. It has been HARD…I miss my family terribly, I miss our dear friends in Atlanta and in J’Bay so much that it hurts…but I also have never felt so fully, exactly where God wants me. I have never felt such peace and such utter reliance on God to provide…and to be my refuge. This past month has been a beautiful time of complete surrender and complete amazement at the way God has provided exactly what we need, exactly when we need it.

So, here we are in a new city with endless possibilities and more amazing food than I can even wrap my mind around. I am so excited to share the farmer’s markets, restaurants and new recipes that the city inspires. So, now I am back- my head is above water, and I hope that you will buckle up and take this journey with me!

Welcome to The Simple Delights!

I believe in the beauty of the communal table and the ability of a simple meal to bring people together, and create community. This blog is dedicated to sharing stories and recipes to encourage a return to the table and to the joy of sharing meals with the people that we love.

About

I have a passion for all things fresh, local, seasonal and delicious. I believe in the beauty of the communal table and the ability of a simple meal to bring people together, and create community in such a busy, fast paced city. This blog is dedicated to sharing stories and recipes to encourage a return to the table and a return to the joy of sharing meals with friends.